UFC Fight Night 252 predictions: Is Cejudo or Song the better man in Seattle?
UFC Fight Night 252 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker
Records: Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC), Walker (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Menifield 2-2-1, Walker 5-0
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Menifield -245, Walker +200
Junkie pick results: Menifield 6, Walker 5
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Jean Silva
Records: Baghdasaryan (8-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Silva (16-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Baghdasaryan 4-1, Silva 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Baghdasaryan +370, Silva -485
Junkie pick results: Silva 11, Baghdasaryan 0
Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto
Records: Font (21-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC), Matsumoto (16-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Past five: Font 2-3, Matsumoto 5-0
Division: 140-pound contract weight
Rankings: Font No. 15
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Font +130, Matsumoto -155
Junkie pick results: Font 7, Matsumoto 4
Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez
Records: Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC), Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC)
Past five: Allen 4-1, Hernandez 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Allen No. 11, Hernandez No. 13
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Allen +270, Hernandez -340
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 7, Allen 4
Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
Records: Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), Yadong (21-8-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC)
Past five: Cejudo 3-2, Yadong 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Cejudo No. 9, Song No. 10
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Cejudo +215, Song -265
Junkie pick results: Cejudo 6, Song 5
Preliminary card picks
Although they don't count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
Ibo Aslan vs. Ion Cutelaba: Aslan 11, Cutelaba 0
Aslan 11, Cutelaba 0 Melquizael Costa vs. Andre Fili: Fili 7, Costa 4
Fili 7, Costa 4 Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein: Abdul-Malik 10, Klein 1
Abdul-Malik 10, Klein 1 Javid Basharat vs. Ricky Simon: Basharat 9, Simon 2
Basharat 9, Simon 2 Austin Vanderford vs. Nikolay Veretennikov: Vanderford 11, Veretennikov 0
Vanderford 11, Veretennikov 0 Eric McConico vs. Nursulton Ruziboev: Ruziboev 10, McConico 1
Ruziboev 10, McConico 1 Modestas Bukauskas vs. Rafael Cerqueira: Bukauskas 9, Cerqueira 2
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Cejudo
vs.
Song Allen
vs.
Hernandez Font
vs.
Matsumoto Baghdasaryan
vs.
Silva Menifield
vs.
Walker MMA Junkie readers'
consensus picks
15-10
Cejudo
(52%)
Hernandez
(66%)
Font
(59%)
Silva
(84%)
Menifield
(65%) Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
16-9
2024 Champion
Song
Hernandez
Font
Silva
Menifield Nolan King
@mma_kings
16-9
2023 Champion
Song
Allen
Font
Silva
Menifield Matt Erickson
@MattE
16-9
Song
Hernandez
Matsumoto
Silva
Walker Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
15-10
2017, 2022, 2024 Champion
Cejudo
Hernandez
Matsumoto
Silva
Walker Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
14-11
Cejudo
Hernandez
Font
Silva
Walker Brian Garcia
@thegoze
14-11
2017 Champion
Cejudo
Hernandez
Font
Silva
Menifield George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
14-11
Cejudo
Hernandez
Font
Silva
Walker Simon Samano
@SJSamano
13-12
Song
Allen
Matsumoto
Silva
Menifield Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
11-14
Cejudo
Allen
Font
Silva
Menifield Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
11-14
2014 Champion
Cejudo
Allen
Font
Silva
Menifield Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
11-14
Song
Hernandez
Matsumoto
Silva
Walker
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
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